Sheet-stopping mechanism for automatic musical instruments



Sept. 1, 1925'. 1,552,393

A. P. GUSTAFSON SHEET STOPPING mscrimi'sm FOR AUTOMATICMUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed March 19. 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 1, 1925. 1,552,393

,A. P.. GUSTAF'SON SHEET STOPPING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed March 1 1921 4 he B Sept. 1,1925. 1,552,398

A'. P. GUSTAFSON SHEET STOPPING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed March 19, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet I5 Sept. 1,' 1925.

A. P. GUSTAFSON HEET STOPPING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Mamh 19. 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Sept. 1, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADOLPH P. GUSTAFSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIG'NOR TO M. SGHULZ COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SHEET-STOPPING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Application filed March 19, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AnoLPH P. GUSTAFSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Sheet-Stopping Mechanism for Automatic Musical Instruments, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to automatic musical instruments, particularly such as are commonly know as player pianos, piano players, and the like.

The principal object of the invention is to arrange for the automatic stopping of the music sheet, as for example, after the same has been rewound.

Another object of the invention is to secure the foregoing result in a simple, practical and expeditious manner.

Another object of the invention is to accomplish the foregoing through the instrumentality of the tracker and music sheet.

Another object of the invention is to secure automatic stoppage of the music sheet in an instrument employing an electrically operated suction motor for developing pneumatic power for actuating the instrument.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a player piano having'a sheet stopping mechanism embodying my present invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the music box containing the travelling music sheet, and a portion of my improved stopping mechanism associated therewith;

Figs. 3 to 14, inclusive, are views of details of construction.

Referringto the drawings, I show a player piano A, having sides 1 and 2, a bottom 3 and a top 4. There are also shown the usual piano keys 5 and piano hammers 6-6. A music boX 7 is shown in the upper part of the instrument, containing a music spool 8 and a take-up roll 9, on which is mounted a traveling music sheet 10. The music sheet 10 is driven by a pneumatic motor 11 by means of interposed power transmitting connections for advancing and rewinding the music sheet, which mechanism is shown generally at 12, but will not be described in detail, as the same forms no part of my present invention. The motor 11 is con- Serial No. 453,695.

nected by means of a tube or pipe 13 with the bellows 14 supplying pneumatic power to the instrument, said bellows 14 being provided with an automatic governor or controller 15 for controlling the pneumatic pressure in the bellows.

I also show an arrangement by which the pneumatic pressure for operating the instrument may be supplied by electrical means, as for example, an electrically operated suction motor 16, located in the lower right hand corner of the instrument case. A. tube 17 is shown extending from the motor 16 to the bellows 14 and connected with the latter at 18, for communicating th pneumatic pressure developed by the motor 16 to the bellows 14.

For controlling the motor 16 electrical switching mechanism is supplied and this is arranged preferably to be operated at least to some extent by a push button 19 mounted on the keyboard 20. As best shown in Figs. 7 to 10, inclusive, this push button 19 operates an electric switch 21, the intermediate mechanism comprising a bell crank 22 connected with push button 19 by a link 23 and also connected with a slide rod 24 which is extended to and connected with the push rod 25 of the switch 21. Thus a depression of the key 19 will cause the slide rod 24 to push the rod 25 toward the switch 21 and thereby close the circuit of said switch; and it being understood that said switch 21 is connected in a circuit (not shown) running to the motor 16, it will be seen that said push button 19 upon being depressed will close the circuit of the motor 16 and thereby put said motor in operation.

Certain of the mechanism illustrated and described thus far is set forth and claimed in an application of mine executed of even date herewith for automatic musical instruments (case #39).

In accordance with my present invention I provide means for automatically stopping the suction motor 16 and also preferably automatic means for stopping the pneumatic sheet driving motor 11; and by preference this automatic stopping mechanism is controlled by the music sheet and tracker in such way that the stoppage of the sheet will occur substantially at the end of the rewinding operation.

To such end I show the tracker 27 provided in addition to the usual ports 28-28 with on or more supplemental ports 29-29, preferably at one end of the tracker, as "for example, the right hand end, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4-. The ports 29 are preferably provided by a small tubular member 30 secured as shown in Fig. 6, to the under side of the tracker and said ports 29 are preferably located in alinement with the bridges between certain of the ports 2828, whereby the usual music sheet perforations will not register with said ports 29. From the tubular member 30 a tube or pipe 31 is extended, and this runs to the vicinity of the electric switch 21, being connected to a pneumatic 32 located near the switch 21, as shown in Fig. 7. The swinging leaf of the pneumatic 32 has a bracket 33 which is connected with the push rod 25 of the switch 21, so that the collapse of pneumatic 32 will move said rod 25 in a direction opposite to the direction in which said rod is moved by push button 19, whereby the collapse of pneumatic 32 will operate switch 21 to open the electric circuit of motor 16. The operation of pneu matic 32 is brought about by the control of ports 2929 by the music sheet 10, said ports being normally closed by the music sheet but opened when the same is rerolled to an extent to uncover ports 29, as shown in Fig. 2. The valve mechanism shown for operating pneumatic 32 by admission of air into ports 29 is best shown in Fig. 10, and comprises flexible diaphragm 34 in a cham ber with which tracker tube 31 is in communication. A valve 36 is arranged above and actuated by diaphragm 3 L, there being a space or chamber 37 above diaphragm 34 which is normally in communication with a tube or pipe 38, which is connected with the bellows or some duct or passage in the apparatus continually under reduced pressure, during the operation of the instrument. The valve 36 is arranged to control passage 39 leading to pneumatic 32 so that said passage 39 will be connected with the vacuum chest or chamber 37 when. the valve 36 is elevated, but will on the other hand be connected with the outside air through port 10 when said valve 36 is depressed. Thus admission of air into tracker ports 29-29 causes diaphragm 34 to be elevated and this causes valve 36 to close port and open comn'iunication between passage 39 and vacuum chest 37, thereby collapsing pneumatic 32 and operating switch 21 so as to open the circuit to electric motor 16. On the other hand, when ports 29 are closed, which is normally during the playing of the music sheet and also during the rewinding oi the same, the pneumatic 32 will have its passage 39 connected with outside air 40 and closed to vacuum chest 37 because of the fact that the diaphragm 34: will be depressed as shown in Fig. 10 when air is excluded from tracker tube 31 by said music sheet 10. Thus during playing and rewinding the pneumatic 32 will be expanded, thereby permitting switch 21 to remain in condition to which it is actuated by push button 19, thereby permitting the electric circuit oi motor 16 to remain closed and thereby allowing said motor continuously to operate to supply pneumatic pressure for the instrument. There are preferably a plurality of ports 29 in order to insure the admission of sufficient air into tracker tube 31, said port-s necessarily being small because it is desired to place them in alinement with the bridges of the usual playing perforations, to make sure that the sheet stopping mechanism will not be operated by a playing perforation.

As a matteu of further improvement, the pneumatic sheet moving motor 11 is also preferably stopped automatically when the rewinding of the sheet is completed or practically completed; and this is preferably accomplished by means of the tracker board apertures 29 previously referred to as being instrun'iental in connection with the music sheet in stopping the ope-ration of the electrically operated motor 16. To such end I show an arrangement by which communication between the pneumatic motor 11 and the bellows l t is cut oil, when air is admitted to ports 29 by the uncovering of the same by the music sheet. In the arrangement shown an operating pneumatic a2 is provided, being preferably mounted on the bellows 14, as shown in Figs. 1, 11, and 13. This pneumatic 42 is connected with the switch operating pneumatic 32, (Figs. 9 and 10) by means of a. tube -13, (Fig. 1), said tube being connected so as to communicate with the passage 39, as shown in Fig. 10. Thus the admission of air into the tracker ports 29 and the operation oi valve 36 to connect passage 39 with the vacuum chamber 37, will cause exhaustion of air from pneumatic 42 through tube 43, and thereby cause collapse of pneumatic i2. This will cause the opening of a valve arrangement provided by the seating of pneumatic on top oi. a tube or pipe i l (Fig. 11), so that collapse of pneumatic 4-2 will separate the swinging leaf thereof from tube or pipe 1-1 and thereby open the latter to the outside air. Tube 44 extends to a box or block 4:5 having a bleed l6 communicating with the interior of bellows 1 1 (Fig. 13), and another pipe or tube 47 extends from block to valve box 48. This box 418 contains a diaphragm -l9 located in a vacuum chest or chamber 59. The pipe 13 running to the sheet winding motor 11 opens into this vacuum chamber 50. A tubular member 51 is located in this chamber 50 and is cont-rolled by the diaphragm 49, thelatter closing 51 when swung against it and opening it when swung outwardly away from 51. Pipe 51 opens .into another chamber 52 which communicates with the interior of bellows 14 by means of duct or pasage 53. Thus when air is admitted to tube 44 by collapse of pneumatic 42, such air is communicated through pipe 47 to chamber 50 and causes collapse of diaphragm 49, thereby closing the end of pipe 51 and thus closing communication between pipe 51 and chamber 50 and thereby shutting off communication between bellows 14 and motor wind or supply pipe 13, and consequently stopping motor 11; and inasmuch as this collapse of pneumatic 42 which affects this result is caused by admission of air into tracker ports 29, it is apparent that such admission of air by uncovering of said tracker ports at the end or substantially the end of the rewinding operation, will automatically stop sheet controlling motor 11, and thereby automatically stop the rewinding operation of the sheet.

The communication between chamber 52 and duct or passage 53 leading to interior of bellows 14 is controlled by a valve 54 and the valve 54 is connected with a rod 55 which is understood to be operated automatically in connection with the rewind mechanism so that said valve 54 is automatically swung upwardly about its hinge connection 56 to open port 53 as soon as the rewind starts, thereby giving the motor uncontrolled pneumatic pressure during rewinding operation. Control pressure is always available for said motor however through port 57 and the governor or controller 15, a passage 58 opening into chamber 52 and controlled by tempo valve 59.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the rewinding of the music sheet may be instantly stopped when such rewinding is completed, and that this may involve not only the actual stoppage of the pneumatic motor controlling the music sheet movement, but also the stoppage of the electrically operated suction device providing pneumatic pressure for the entire instrument. It will also be seen that this result is accomplished through the instrumentality of the music sheet and tracker board and so may be elfectively secured.

It will be understood that changes and modifications may be made Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

WVha-t I claim is:

1. The combination with the tracker, music sheet, music rolls and pneumatic motor, of a tracker tube extending from a special port with which the tracker is provided, a pressure producing means to which the tracker tube is connected, a conduit connecting the pressure producing means with 60 the motor, a pneumatically controlled valve operating to open said conduit to atmospheric pressure when the special port is uncovered by the music roll, a valve mechanism controlled by the pneumatic pressure in said tracker tube, a tracker, a pneumatically operated valve controlled by said port and means for controlling the wind pressure on said pneumatic motor, said means being controlled by said pneumatically operated valve.

2. The combination with the music sheet and tracker. having special tracker ports and a tracker tube running from said ports, a pneumatically operated device controlled by the pneumatic pressure in said tube, a sec- 0nd tube running from said device, a. pneumatic to which said last mentioned tube is extended, said pneumatic being arranged to operate as a valve, a tubular member cooperating with said valve pneumatic and opened and closed by the same, said tubular member having a bleed port, a box having a pneumatic chamber containing a diaphragm controlled by said last mentioned tubular member, a port controlled by said diaphragm to open and. close said chamber to pneumatic pressure, and a tubular member extending from said box to said motor, whereby said diaphragm is operated to shut ofi' communication from said motor by the passage of air into said special tracker board ports.

3. The combination of a music sheet and tracker having a special port to be covered during the playing and rewinding of the music sheet, but to be uncovered by the music sheet at substantially the end of the rewinding operation, pneumatic control mechanism controlled by said port, a pneumatic motor for winding and rewinding the music sheet 100 and mechanism operated by said pneumatic control mechanism for establishing and disestablishing pneumatic connection with said motor, said pneumatic control mechanism comprising a pneumatic connected with said 105 special tracker, a valve controlling connection between said motor and the source of pneumatic pressure and means controlled by said pneumatic for controlling said valve, said means comprising a pneumatic 42, a 110 member 45, and a casing 48 containing said valve and controlling the same by the admission of air by the operation of pneumatic 42.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 21st day of February, A. D. 115 1921.

ADOLPH P. GUSTAFSON. 

